Eight Spazzy Pyros
by newsgoils
Summary: Three odd girls start a new life and no one knows whats going to happen! Not even the authors... all three of them
1. Music through the trees

A/N- if you haven't already read the bio, hop to it, kid!  

FIRST CHAPTER FROM SPAZ!!!

***

Chapter 1:

A bug flew past her ear, and she instinctively slapped herself in the side of the head. "Owwww." She said under her breath as she smiled at her own mistake.   
  


She looked up at the night sky, where a few stars were starting to wake up for the night. It wasn't very far in the daytime to her friend Emily's house, but it was the walk back in the dark that killed ya.   
  


Squinting in the half light, she pulled a hanging branch out of her way, and continued down the path. She stopped suddenly as she heard a melody playing. Cocking her head towards the sound, she concluded that is was probably on the way home, if she passed the musician, she would compliment them on the beautiful sound.   
  


As she went around a bend in the path, she noticed the soft glow from a campfire, as the music got louder. ~Clarinet!~ She said to herself with a smile.   
  


She stepped into the firelight, and all three of the girls sitting around the fire stared at her as the music stopped. Two of the girls looked like they were about sixteen or seventeen, and the other looked like she was a bit older. One of them was shooting daggers at with her eyes, obviously defensive. The one holding the instrument was paused, with her clarinet hovering near her lips, like she was taking a long breath.   
  


"Medda Larksen." The woman introduced herself to the girls.   
  


"What are you doing here?" the blonde one demanded.   
  


"I heard your music… You are very good!" Medda told her.   
  


"Calm yourself Eight. She can't harm us."   
  


Medda focused her gaze on the speaker, the older girl, who was casually leaning on a large rock, and whittling into a chunk of wood, before pausing to push her glasses farther up on her nose. Her hair was short, and looked uneven, but she couldn't be sure, since she was wearing a hat. Her tan leather hat had embroidered flowers onto the front of it. The flowers were the only ladylike part of her outfit. Her grey suspenders were hanging at her sides, instead of on her shoulders, her green shirt was patched at the elbows, and her pants had a patch on one knee, and. Medda suspected that if they weren't already dark brown, they would be stained.   
  


Medda refocused her attention on the defensive one, a blonde girl with, oddly enough, a bright purple hat and matching suspenders. Her blonde hair skimmed the shoulders of her grimy grey shirt, which happened to be only half tucked in.   
  


"If you're gonna continue to stare at us, you might as well sit and make yourself comfortable" the bespectacled one told her.   
  


As Medda settled herself on a moss covered log, the musician finally decided to speak. The only thing was, Medda couldn't understand her.   
  


"Hiyo!" she said happily.   
  


While she was adjusting her skirt, which was her favorite shade of pink, Medda asked, "Come again?"   
  


"Hiyo." She repeated.   
  


"Um… hello.   
  


"What brings you to our campsite?" the musician asked.   
  


"I always cut through here on my way home from my friends house, it's just not usually dark out. Your fire was like a beacon. It's a wonderful fire" she added.   
  


"That's why dey call me Pyro!" she beamed as she carefully set her clarinet aside. She tucked a strand of he long dark brown hair behind her ear, and pulled her knees up to her chest, tugging the cuff of her pant leg back down over her shoe, as it started riding up. ~What's with these girls, and wearing pants?~ Medda silently asked herself. Looking at Pyro, she noticed that there was a small scorch mark on the sleeve of her red shirt.   
  


"Pyro? And who are you two?" she asked, nodding towards the others.   
  


"I'm Spaz." The older one stated.   
  


"Spaz? Why did they call you Spaz?" she asked, confused. "I would think that you would take offence to such a name."   
  


"A friend of mine once looked at me and told me I was 'a complete spastic loser' and it stuck. I think it suits me fine."   
  


"I'll take your word for it." Medda said as she couldn't help but smile.  
  


"What about you… What did she call you, was it Eight?"   
  


"Yeah, it's short for Eight of Nine."   
  


"Eight of Nine… you have nine lives perhaps?" Medda asked.   
  


Snickering, she answered back, "No, I'm child number eight out of nine."   
  


Looking surprised, Medda commented, "That's a lot of children."   
  


Eight smiled at her, "I bet they don't even notice I'm gone."   
  


"How sad." Medda said, with a concerned look on her face. "Where is the rest of your family? Are you three sisters?"   
  


"Nah, we's decided to be cousins. I hopped on a trans continental train in Utah." Eight told her.   
  


"I see, and where did you come from?" she asked Spaz   
  


"I'm from a city dat's small enough that you've never heard of it. My father tried to marry me off to some ugly, old rich guy. He wanted the money the guy offered. I bought a ticket on the next train outta there. Since I bought the cheapest ticket, I got ta sit with the baggage, and oh man, there was this guy in there, an he stunk SO bad, that I had to go get some air, so I wandered into the carriage compartment. Eight was sleepin under one of the carriages."   
  


Eight interrupted "She disturbed my precious beauty sleep."   
  


"I was bored!"   
  


"I guess dat's a good enough excuse, I woulda woke you up." Eight said with a nod.   
  


Spaz continued the story "We talked, and decided that wherever we got off, we would stick together. And when we got off, we ran into Pyro."   
  


"Technically, I ran into you…." Pyro interrupted.   
  


"Yeah, I still got bruises…" Eight commented, rubbing her shoulder.   
  


"I was runnin from some people that were… mad at me." Pyro told Medda   
  


"Why were they mad at you?" Medda asked her   
  


"I kinda… set the bank on fire in Yonkers."   
  


Medda burst out laughing. "I read about that in the paper!" Medda said, wiping her eyes.   
  


"Dey had me waitin in line for a long time… I got bored! You know, it wouldn't have gotten out of hand if they wouldn't have all freaked out, and knocked the fire out of my hands! I was about to blow it out, I took a deep breath, and then someone slapped it out of my hand! Stupid bank manager, it's his fault!"   
  


Hardly controlling her laughter, Medda asked, "So, you are all running away, but have nowhere to go."   
  


"Nah, we decided that this would be our castle, we are gonna let Pyro torch these pesky woods, and, Spaz and I were gonna walk all the way to Norway, so we could have some good Norwegian wood, and we were gonna build us a house, right here in central park. At least until something better comes along." Eight said sarcastically.   
  


"Isn't Pyro going to help you carry the wood?" Medda asked   
  


"I figured she's stay here and play her clarinet for money, so we have enough money to buy the land before we desecrate it." Eight said, without missing a beat.   
  


"How long have you been playing?" Medda asked Pyro.   
  


"Since it was taller than I was." Pyro said with a giggle. "I used to have to stand on a chair to play it."   
  


"Wow, can you read sheet music?"   
  


"Of course! I can play anything too!" she boasted.   
  


"Great!" Medda beamed, "You're hired!"   
  


All three of them looked at Medda like she was crazy.   
  


"What?" Pyro asked her, her jaw dropped.   
  


"I own Irving hall, the theatre across the park, and just last week, the clarinet player from my orchestra ran away with my ticket girl." She explained. "Oh, and I've heard enough out of you, you could convince a starving man on his way to a restaurant, to give up his last nickel to see a show, you'll make a wonderful ticket girl." She beamed at Eight.   
  


It was Eight's turn to stare at her open mouthed, but before she could say anything, Medda started talking again. "How tall are you?" she asked Spaz. "Please stand."   
  


Spaz, still surprised at her previous announcement, just did what she was told, and slowly got to her feet.   
  


Medda stood next to her, measuring her height. "Plenty tall enough to reach the cord to pull the curtain open. And you look strong enough to be able to handle helping with the sets." Since the three of them were still dazed from the surprise, Medda kept talking. We will have to have a discussion on your wages, of course, which might not be the highest, but that is because some of that will cover the apartment off the stage that you will be occupying."   
  


"You're… giving us jobs?" Spaz asked her.   
  


"It's an opportunity I can't pass up." Medda shrugged. "I need three employees, and there are three of you."   
  


"And you're giving us a place to live too?" Pyro asked, to make sure.   
  


"Of course. I can't have my employees coming in to work dressed in dirty clothing from sleeping on the ground, can I?" She asked them with a smile.   
  


"Then what are we still sittin on the ground for?" Eight exclaimed, jumping to her feet, and grabbing her bag, piling her stuff back in it.   
  


"Can we move in tonight?" Pyro asked her?   
  


"I don't see why not." Medda shrugged.   
  


"YAY!" Spaz whooped, punching the air with her fist.


	2. Sorriest Excuse For a Cowboy I Ever Saw

**Kennyon's Part**

The three girls walked behind Medda across the park to a large building. The girls looked up at it. A sign lit up read "MEDDA, the Swedish Meadow Lark at This Theater." A painted Mural of Medda in a purple dress was beneath it and the girls gasped. 

"I'm gonna want my mural right dere." Eight looked at the wall empty by the side of the theater. Her friends laughed and Medda smiled.

"Darling, when you bring in over 15,000 people to see you perform, I will personally paint you a mural." Medda laughed.

"You've got a deal." Showing her cocky little smirk Eight followed Medda through a backdoor into a wing of Irving Hall.

"So where will we be sleeping?" Spaz asked as they headed through dark hallways.

Medda led them up some stairs to an apartment. She opened the door to reveal a room with beds on the walls. "It may be a little dusty. I haven't used this room for a while. But there isn't anymore room in the other wing."

Pyro stepped in to look around. "We will have ta remove some of da beds, but it'll do." She smiled at Medda and Spaz and Eight stepped in.

"Well, you three sleep well. I'll see you in the morning." Medda left and the girls looked around the room.

"Dis is my bed." Spaz claimed the one in the corner and sat on it. 

Pyro took the one next to it and Eight went to a different corner and laid down in the bed.

"G'night guys." Eight fell asleep almost immediately before the two older girls. She was the youngest of the three and she had come the farthest in her travels.

Pyro propped herself up looking over at Eight. "That girl is reckless."

"I know she is. But she is a tough one. She helped us get this job. Things are going to change for us soon Pyro. We will have a job and make real money. No more sleepin on da streets. No more beggin for food." Spaz looked out the window into the night. "It's like we were s'posed to come here."

"I know how ya feel. This is going to change everything." Pyro smiled.

"Shut up or I'll pound your face in!" Eight shouted in her sleep before rolling over. The other two girls laughed.

"How did you ever get away from her alive Spaz?" Pyro asked. "I don't think she would hesitate to pound pretty much anyone."

"I honestly don't know. I think maybe she was lonely. She IS a girl who grew up in a huge family. She wasn't used to being alone for that long. Dat train ride all the way from out west, was prolly too much for her to handle." Spaz smiled at the young blonde in the corner. "Come on we have a big day tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

The two older girls slowly fell asleep and began dream. The night passed quickly and soon the sun was coming up into Pyro's face. She opened her eyes and looked around. It took her a minute to remember where she was. She grabbed her box of matches from her pocket and sat up. She stared out the window guessing it was around six in the morning. She lit a match and held it out. She watched it burn and dim before going out with a breeze. 

Pyro suddenly got lonely and tried to decide which girl to wake to keep her company. She looked over at Eight who had somehow turned all the way around in her sleep so that her feet were on her pillow. She laughed and decided that Spaz would be the safer choice. She kicked Spaz's feet and the girl stirred. Pyro continued to kick her until Spaz rolled over and out of the bed.

"Owe!" Spaz yelled as she hit the floor. She rubbed her elbow that she had hit and sat up. "Why did you do that?" She looked up at Pyro with big eyes. 

"I just kicked you, you're the one that rolled out of bed." Pyro smiled and Spaz hoisted herself back on to her bed. "Spaz you know I don't like being awake alone and I am less afraid of you then her." She said pointing to the still sleeping Eight of Nine. 

"Fine I will stay up with you." She said reluctantly as she groaned. "So what do you want to do?" Spaz stood and put her glasses on.

"Um. . . we could go exploring?" Pyro suggested and both girls smiled. They were two girls in a theater. There had to be something to do. 

They left the apartment and began to wander around. They wandered down the stairs and found a room with costumes hanging all around the walls.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Spaz turned to Pyro and both of them went in to see what they could find.

Back upstairs in the apartment Eight was just waking up. She looked around. Spaz and Pyro weren't there any longer and she figured Pyro had woken up early and taken Spaz with her. Pyro hated to be awake alone and she was probably too scared to wake up Eight. 

"I'd be scared to wake me up too." She laughed to herself. She stood from her bed and threw her hat down on the bed. She walked around the apartment and found a bathroom in the back. She washed her face and hands and was just about to leave when she heard the door to the apartment open and shut. 

She looked around through the door and saw a boy around the age of 18 come in. He was maybe six feet tall and he wore a cowboy hat, a red bandana around his neck, and a rope for a belt. She looked him up and down. Eight had grown up around cowboys and this was a sorry excuse for one. She watched as he lay down on the bed Spaz had been sleeping in and he shut his eyes. He pulled the hat over his face and began to breathe deeply. Eight had a little thought run through her head. She stepped out of the bathroom quietly and walked over to the bed.

She bent down in front of him. He was obviously already asleep and this was going to make her day. She took the cowboy hat from his head and put her face above his.

"HEY!" She screamed in his face. He jumped up without delay and screamed. 

Meanwhile Spaz and Pyro had been in the costume room for about an hour when the door opened and Medda came in. She saw the girls in strange clothes and laughed. Spaz was wearing a pink tutu with cowboy boots and a large debutante hat. Pyro was in a blue dress three sizes too big for her and she wore a pink boa around her neck. 

"I knew you three would keep me entertained. But where is the blonde girl, um Eight was her name?" 

Spaz turned to see Medda and smiled. "Eight doesn't really like mornings too much. She is still asleep in the apartment." 

"Well go get her. I have a lot of explaining to do about what's going to happen today. I'll be up there in a second. I just have one thing to check on first." Medda left the room and the two girls were about to change when they heard a scream from upstairs.

The two girls ran straight up towards the apartment in their odd costumes. Medda was on their heels as they got to the door. It opened suddenly and a boy came running out. He looked back briefly at Eight who was laughing so hard tears were coming to her eyes. She had a new black cowboy hat on that must have belonged to him. The boy looked at Spaz and Pyro and screamed again. 

Eight was still laughing her head off and Medda was trying to hold back a giggle. Spaz and Pyro couldn't help but catch Eight's infectious laughing. Medda smiled and pushed the two into the apartment. She shut the door behind her and went after the boy. 

"Jack I'm sorry. . ." was what they heard her say as she followed him down the stairs.

Eight fell back onto Spaz's bed and laughed into her pillow. Spaz and Pyro had very little idea what they were laughing at and they tried to calm down. 

"Eight what happened?" Spaz finally got out. 

Eight rolled onto her back with the cowboy hat still one. It was too big for her and slumped a little. "I was in the bathroom when the door opened and that boy came in. He plopped down on your bed and fell asleep. I saw that he was unsuccessfully dressed as a cowboy and couldn't help myself." 

"Eight you didn't!" Pyro said sitting down on the bed next to Eight.

"I took his hat off of his eyes and screamed in his face. His eyes opened and you should have heard him. He screamed like a girl! I put the hat on and began to laugh. 'If you tried going out west dressed like that my friend you would be slaughtered like a Christmas goose.' I said to him. I began to laugh even harder and he ran out. Well you know the rest from there." Eight began to laugh again and Spaz and Pyro smiled at each other weakly.

The door to the apartment was thrown open and Medda came walking in. She looked at the three girls and tried to hide her smile from them. She wanted to seem angry but seeing Jack like that was actually very funny. 

"Alright Miss Eight of Nine! What did you do?" She said to the girl smirking on Spaz's bed.

"I just did what the moment called for." 

"Tell me." Medda said sternly.

Eight retold the entire story again and Spaz and Pyro rolled their eyes at it. "What was that boy doing in our apartment anyway?" 

"His name is Jack Kelly. He is a good friend of mine and he was here because he didn't get much sleep last night. Something about getting in really late. If that happens he comes here and he uses this apartment to sleep in. I didn't see him this morning so I didn't get to warn him about you three. Which probably would have helped." 

The three girls laughed at this and Medda smiled at them.

"I brought up some new clothes for you. I saw that you weren't wearing dresses and figured you didn't like them so I brought you up some clean slacks and shirts and new suspenders."

"I'll take the clean clothes but I'm keeping my purple suspenders." Eight fingered her suspenders and grabbed her matching hat off her bed.

"Alright if you say so darling. Where did you get them may I ask?" Medda looked from the matching hat to suspenders.

Eight tipped the black hat so it was hanging from her neck and put the purple one on. "Well they used to be gray. But I went on this tour to a clothing factory back west. I got into a fight with this boy and got pushed into the dye tank. I went all the way under and they were completely died. My hair was died too. Stayed purple for t'ree weeks. I kept the hat and suspenders to remind me of that day. I've never worn anything different." She said and Medda nodded.

"They are kind of a trademark for her. She's been wearing dem since I met her." Spaz said.

The three girls got changed into new clothes and Eight put her suspenders back on. She liked her new hat and left it hanging from her neck as she wore her purple cowboy hat on her head. Spaz kept her hat and Katie just changed. She liked the wardrobe and went for another red shirt. She thought that color looked good. The four women left the apartment and headed down the stairs.

A/N: Okay this part was written by me Kennyon (Eight of Nine). I hope you all love it. Katie (Pyro) is writing the next part.


	3. To Tibby's, of course!

A/N: Okie day! It's Pyro's turn! Sorry for the shortness of the chapter, but I saw a good place to stop and let Spaz have somewhere good to go from! 

Oh! And a big thanks to our one fan! Thank You Sapphy!!!

Okay! Third chapter! By me! ^_^

***

Chapter 3:

Pyro looked nervously over the sheet music the conductor had given her. Normally she would have been fiddling with her lighter to take her mind off things, but sheet music and fire did not mix well, at least for the sheet music anyways. She had never played professionally before and didn't want to let Medda down. She was relieved to find the music easier than she thought.

Pyro looked up and giggled as she watched Spaz fiddle with the curtains, Eight was in the box office with Medda, and Pyro couldn't see her. She gathered up the sheet music and walked over to Spaz, she hummed some of the trickier runs as she read the music while she walked.

"That's pretty..." Spaz commented looking over at her friend, "Are you playing it?"

"Yeppers." Pyro answered as she looked up from the music. "So, how long did Medda say before the show starts...?" 

"five minutes"

Pyro's eyes went wide, "Really?! Wow I thought we had another hour..." she grabbed her clarinet and turned to head towards the band "I'd better get back to my place, before the director notices I'm missing..."

As Pyro slipped into her chair, she could here the sounds in the lobby of Eight "negotiating" with the customers. 

~~~

After the show, Pyro's lips were numb, but that wasn't unusual. She met up with Eight and Spaz in the box office, Eight was still counting money.

"Blarg...I've never played 2 hours straight before!" Pyro commented to Spaz.

"Yeah! And those curtains are heavier than they look!" Spaz replied.

"Did you guys notice the amount of boys in the audience?" Eight asked as she wrapped a rubber band around a stack of bills, "I saw Jack come in... heh, he wouldn't look at me as he paid for his ticket..."

Spaz and Pyro laughed. 

"Ya know," Pyro started after a moment, "the one good thing about livin' out doors is you don't have to worry much about where to light a fire."

"We could get you a candle." Spaz offered.

"A big one." Eight added.

Pyro grinned, "Yay!" 

"There!" Eight said, as she placed last stack of bills in a bag and quickly jotted down a number in the ledger. "That's the last one." She placed the ledger and bag of money in the safe under the desk. "What should we do now?"

Pyro grinned, "I dunno, what do you wanna do?"

Spaz grinned back and replied, "I dunno, what do you wanna do?"

"I dun..."

"Nuh uh! Lets not start _that_ again!" Eight exclaimed cutting them off. Pyro and Spaz giggled, and fell silent as they thought of something to alleviate their boredom.

"Hey, girls!" Medda greeted them as she walked in, "You guys did a great job tonight!" She looked around at them, "You guys look famished!" She reached into her pocket, "Here," she handed them each 50 cents, "Go get something to eat, I hear there's a great little place nearby called Tibby's..." She winked at them as she left.

They stared down at the money in their hands, "Wow! 50 cents!" Pyro exclaimed.

"That's a lot of money," Spaz agreed, shoving her money into her pocket.

Eight was already halfway out the door, "What are you guys waiting for?" she called.

Spaz and Pyro hurried after her 

"Where are we going?" Pyro asked as they headed down the street. 

"To Tibby's, of course!" Eight called back.


	4. Aye Aye Cap'n Blink!

A/N: Wow, this was fun! And I would like to thank everyone that I bounced ideas off of, especially Rachel. You are wonderful Rachel!  
BTW, *Spaz gets out a trumpet, and tries to play that "dun da da dun!" tune, before Pyro pulls it away from her*  
Pyro: Bob will be mad if you use his trumpet without asking!!!  
Spaz: But I didn't get to finish making my announcement!  
Pyro: Then say it, but no trumpet  
Spaz: CHAPTER BY SPAZ!  
Pyro: Are you done now?  
Spaz: Yes, thank you.

***

Chapter 4:

The bell on the door announced their arrival at the restaurant, but no one paid any attention to the door. Since Tibby's was pretty full, the door kept opening and closing every minute or so. There was a big group of young men near the front of the restaurant, all laughing and joking, but mainly everyone's attention was on a brown haired guy that had a red bandanna tied around his neck, sitting with his back to the door.   
Eight noticed him, and a sparkle went into her eyes, and a mischievous grin appeared on her face. As the three of them walked closer to the table, they could hear him proclaim, "Yeah, but I told her off. She won't try messing with me again, I yelled at her pretty good!"   
Eight unhooked the hat string from around her neck, pulling the black cowboy hat off of her, and replacing it with her purple one. Then she turned the black hat in her hand, and plopped it onto the guy's head, and announced, "Yeah, he yelled at me good, just like this... AUUUGGGGHHHHHH!" She screamed in a tone that sounded more frightened than angry.

"Then he ran away, leaving his hat behind." Spaz added with a giggle that Pyro joined in on, before the three of them passed by the group of astonished newsies on their way to a table in the corner.   
As soon as they sat down, Pyro happened to notice the candle burning in the middle of the table. 

"Ohhhhh!" she said in awe, as she started brushing her finger back and forth through the flame.

"Wait until after we order!" Eight instructed as she smacked Pyro's hand down, which put out the flame.

"Awwww!" Pyro pouted, before she pulled a match out of her pocket, and re-lit the candle, staring at it longingly before turning back to the menu.

A middle-aged waiter appeared at their table and asked them, "Are you ready to order?"

"Um. we're gonna need an extra pitcher of water at the table..." Spaz told him.

He raised his eyebrows in question, but jotted it down. 

After he was on his way to the kitchen with their order, one of the newsies came sauntering over to the table. He plopped himself down in the empty chair next to Spaz, and nodded at them in a greeting. "Good evening ladies, name's Racetrack."

"...Hey." Spaz said, after she realized that the other two weren't going to speak to him.

"So, uh, what were you'se doin in Medda's place?" He tried to ask casually

"I play the clarinet!" Pyro informed him happily, before looking back down at her own, personal flame.

"Well, smart one, I sold you your ticket this afternoon." Eight smirked at him.

"I'm the new stage hand. Do you have any idea how heavy those curtains are?" she asked him while she rubbed her shoulder to try and ease the stiffness.

"Oh! You'se all work for Medda. But I wanna know why you'se were wakin' cowboy up?" He wanted to know.

"Cowboy?" Eight asked with a giggle, "His name is Cowboy?"

Racetrack confirmed it with a nod, and Eight burst out laughing so hard that she doubled over, and fell off of her chair, and ended up rolling around on the floor, rocking back and forth with laughter.

"He's not a cowboy!… He wouldn't last 10 minutes out west with the real cowboys!" she managed to get out between gasps and giggles. She stops laughing suddenly, takes a deep breath, stands up, brushes herself off, and sits back down, with a serious expression on her face.

"What I wanna know, is why he was in our room." She informed him.

"Dat's your room?" he asked with surprise. "He didn't tell us dat!"

"You really should talk to him about his side of the story." Pyro said, without looking up from her flame, since she was adding little bits of paper to it.

"Yup!" Spaz confirmed with a grin, as he got up and went back to his table. 

Spaz took a sip of her water, just as a flaming piece of paper fell off of the candle, and onto the newspaper that Katie was ripping up to feed the flame with. 

Spaz quickly spit a stream of water from her mouth, onto the flaming paper, just as the waiter came back with a tray loaded with their food, and pitcher of water.

Their meal passed quickly, with no other major mishaps, except for when they had to try and discourage Pyro from trying to make her leftovers "crispy"

"We have until nine, when the next show starts. We need something to do." Eight told them.

"Ohhh, I wanna go on a treasure hunt!" Spaz enthused before she jumped out of her seat, and started for the door. Looking at each other and shrugging, Eight and Pyro followed.

When she had walked halfway across the restaurant, she spied Kid Blink on the other side of the room. Hurrying over, she tapped him on the shoulder, and asked him, "Are you a pirate?"

Suppressing a laugh, he answered, "Only if you want me to be!"

"Good, good. What's your name?" she asked him.

"Kid Blink" he told her "Or just Blink, dat works too!"

"Alright, Captain Blink, where's your first mate?"

"Dat would be Mush here." He said, clapping the guy to his right on the shoulder.

"Alright, you guys follow me!" she ordered, as she spun on her heel, and started for the door. Before she got there, she randomly grabbed Dutchy, who was watching them with a stunned expression, and pulled him to his feet.

With her eyes shining, she clapped her hands excitedly, and announced, "You can swab the poop deck!" before she linked arms with him, and skipped out the door.

Blink and Mush were oddly intrigued enough to follow her, and when they were joined by Eight and Pyro, Spaz instructed Blink, "Lead us to your buried treasure, you scurvy dog!" She put her arm around Dutchy's shoulders, and threatened, "Or I'll make him walk the plank!"

With a laugh, Blink saluted to her and said, "Aye aye, matey!" and he turned, and marched off down the street.

They made their way down the street, in the direction of central park, and Spaz, looking at Dutchy, slipped her arm in his and told him, "Don't even think of getting away!"

"Don't worry, I wouldn't want you, or your friends chasing after me!" Dutchy said with a mock shudder.

Kid Blink… Or rather, Captain Blink led them down one street after another, until they got to the edge of central park. They all walked in silence for a few minutes, until Blink stopped, and turned around to face them.

"It's very dangerous up ahead" Blink informed them. "Watch where you step, dere's traps."

Spaz patted Dutchy on the arm that was still linked in hers, and told him, "It's ok, I will protect you.

He grinned, but didn't answer her, as he held a branch back for her walk around.

Eight looked at Pyro, her eyebrows raised "Right, like we're gonna fall for…. AAAUUUGGGHHHH!!!"

"Great, she didn't see the lightning sand." Mush said, shaking his head, before he leaned over the place she fell, and reached in. He pulled her out by the arm, and helped brush the sand off of her.

"Come on, lets keep going." Blink instructed, as they carefully walked around the now revealed lightning sand.

They made their way through the underbrush, and reached a small clearing. Suddenly, they heard rustling in the bushes, and a large furry form leaps out of the bushes, and runs at them.

"It's an R.O.U.S.!" Pyro screamed, as they scattered to climb into the low branches of the closest tree.

The giant ball of fur hurled itself at Dutchy, and Spaz, remembering her earlier promise, jumped in front of him, and she took the force of the attack. She was shoved backwards into Dutchy, who fell backwards too, and Spaz, tried to keep the beast off of her, unsuccessfully, since it had knocked Spaz onto her back, and was sitting on her stomach. It's jaws snapped, and then it lunged for her face, and Spaz thought it was the end of her before she realized that it was licking her.

"Ewww, dog breath!" She muttered, pushing the shaggy stray dog off of her, and getting to her feet.

"I thought you were a goner for sure!" Pyro gushed at her.

"We'll never survive!" Eight stated, shaking her head.

"Nonsense!" Blink denied. "What are the three terrors of central park? That was R.O.U.S. Well, Rufus our uber stray. We know what lightning sand looks like, so we can avoid that in the future too!"

"What about the flame spurts?" Eight asked him.

Blink shook his head, "Flame Spurts? I have been all over this park, and I don't think they exist…"

His words were cut off by a loud popping sound and the sight of a large flame appearing right in front of Pyro.

When the flame died away, they all rushed forward to see if she was ok.

"Did you know that spider webs are flammable!" Pyro informed them excitedly, putting her lighter back in her pocket.

"No flame spurts then?" Mush asked with a sigh of relief.

"No, and the treasure is right around that bend!" Blink told them.

They all cheered, and skipped around the corner, and stopped dead in their tracks.

"Ohhhh, pretty!" Eight commented, looking around the little hidden sanctuary in the grove of trees.

There was a curtain from the willow tree branches, almost all the way around this little secluded spot. There was a tree stump, and a fallen log to sit on, and kelly green grass carpeting the floor. On one side, there was a lazy stream that could only be a foot or two deep. The water bubbled over smooth rocks, and gurgled as it went around a tree, and disappeared.

"That's the 'Ragin' Rachel River.' I named it after this girl I know…" Mush said, and sighed, as if he was lost in thought.

"Where's this treasure of yours?" Spaz asked Blink.

"Oh yeah, it's over here." Blink told her, as he walked around to the other side of the tree, and came back out with a polished wooden box that had brass fixtures to make it look like a real treasure. He pulled up the latch of the box, and revealed a stack of books. In there were various classic fairy tales, and a few plays written by Shakespere.

"Ohhhhhhh!" everyone fawned.

Each one of them got a book to read, and settled down in their little oasis to read… at least until Dutchy looked at his watch.

"We better hurry, we gots ta get you girls back to Medda's before the show!" Dutchy said, before grabbing Spaz's hand, and pulled her to her feet. Without bothering to let go of her hand, he pulled her over to the treasure box to put their books away before they started back to the hustle and bustle of the city.


	5. Stand Up For Yourself Jack

The six teenagers ran back out of Central Park and towards Medda's.  The entire way neither Dutchy nor Spaz realized that their hands were still intertwined.  But Eight noticed and she thought that it was adorable.  She ran ahead up to Blink and laughed in his ear. 

"I'll race ya. . ." Eight dashed forward and Blink ran to catch up.  They made their way around a corner and Eight caught sight of the theater.  She ran up to the door and touched it.  

"I won! Ha I won." She threw her hat on the ground and began to dance around it.

Blink and the others caught up and breathed hard.  "Hey dat ain't fair!" Blink said as she attempted a cart wheel.  

Eight fell on the ground and began to laugh.  "How wasn't it fai. . . .Oh look at the time.!"  Eight grabbed her hat and jumped up forgetting her conversation with Blink.  "We have to go guys.  The show starts in less than 20 minutes.  I have to go sell tickets.  Pyro you have to go play your clarinet.  Spaz, the curtains need to be opened." She ran into Irving Hall without another word.

Blink and Mush laughed at her as she left.  They headed after her because they were going to go see the show.  Pyro headed for the stage door and left Dutchy and Spaz alone.  Spaz smiled at him.

"That was a lot of fun.  I'm glad that I met you guys. But don't tell Jack that.  He might freak out that I am friends with you guys." Dutchy smiled.

"He doesn't like us much does he?" Spaz laughed.

"Not really, especially Eight.  But I like you." Dutchy looked directly at Spaz.

She smiled and then heard Eight call her from the box office.  She had to hurry.  She looked up at Dutchy.  

"Well it was nice meeting you." Spaz said. 

"You too." Dutchy said before kissing her on the cheek.  Spaz smiled and ran to the stage door.  She couldn't wait to tell Eight and Pyro about what happened.

The show went smoothly without a hitch and Pyro practically lost her lips blowing on her clarinet. But she never played that good in her life.  Blink, Mush and Dutchy were all cheering her on.  She almost laughed her head off when they all whispered together and whistled at her when she stood for her short solo.  

Eight thought it was great and Spaz just kept looking at Dutchy.  At one point he caught her and winked. That made her smile.

The end of the show finally came and Eight counted out the money quickly.  She stowed it in the safe under the drawer and caught up with Pyro and Spaz outside the stage door.  They walked around to the front and sat on the shoe shiners stand.  

Spaz told the other two about her evening with Dutchy and both girls smiled at each other.

"Oooo. . . looks like Spaz has a crush."  Pyro giggled and Spaz smacked her on the arm.

Eight fiddled with her purple suspenders and looked around.  It was a beautiful night but Eight was tired of sitting still.  Pyro noticed and looked at her.

"Hey Eight, you okay?"  She stared at the girl fidgeting.

"You know. . . if I was back in Utah, I would be riding a horse and chasing cattle right now. . ." She looked off into space and jumped off the platform.  

Spaz looked at her and suggested that they go for a walk.  All three girls jumped at the idea and began to walk around the theater.  

They were walking laughing and Eight caught sight of the group of newsies walking away from the theater.  Jack was leading the boys and a short skinny boy was right next to him.

"So Jacky boy, dis goil stole your hat and screamed at you? What are you going to do about her?"  All the newsies were listening to Jack and the other boy talk.  

They were all into the conversation and didn't see the three girls sneak up behind them.

"Telling lies again Jack?" Spaz asked.  

Every newsie turned to see the three girls standing there.  Eight was in the middle with her purple hat on over her eyes and one hand fingering her matching suspenders.  Spaz was next to her with her arms folded and Pyro had an expression like 'you going to answer the question' on her face.

"Umm. . . errr. . ." Jack looked from Spaz and the girls back to the other boy.

"And who are dese t'ree Jacky Boy?"  The boy asked.

Before Jack could answer Spaz stepped forward.  "We are Jack's new best friends.  Isn't that right Jack?"

 "Oh Spaz, don't scare him.  I'm Pyro.  That one is Spaz and the blonde one with the purple hat is Eight.  She is Jack's new best friend, we just kind of the audience looking on entertained." Pyro laughed.  

"Jack?  Your new best friend?  That girl?"  The boy laughed.

Eight finally stepped forward.  She wrapped her arm around Jack's neck and smirked.  "That's right.  Him and me are really close.  I did wake him up this morning and he even lent me his hat!  Isn't that sweet of him." She pinched Jack's cheeks. "And you are?"

"I'm Spot Conlon.  So Jack dis is da goil you was talkin about?  Hmmm. . . she doesn't look so tough." Spot looked her down.  "She looks like a wanna be cowboy with that hat on her head." 

Eight took her arm from Jack's shoulders and began to laugh.  Spaz and Pyro began to laugh too.  Spot's comment was hilarious.  

"You tink Eight is the wanna be cowboy?" Pyro managed to get out.  

All three girls fell on top of each other and laughed. 

"Well Jack is the cowboy.  He is tough and all ready to be a cowboy.  You just look like a goil who steals hats."  

"Excuse me, Spot.  But I am four times the cowboy he will ever be, and I'm not even a boy!" Eight began to laugh again.  

"Jack get in dere and stand up for yourself.  Show her your tough."  Spot pushed Jack forward and he folded his arms and finally got tough.  

"Alright you little. . . .um. . . .girl!  I can show you up. I challenge you." Jack said looking straight at Eight.

"Oh what are we going to do?  See who is the bigger fake?" Eight said with a snere.  

Dutchy came up to Spaz.  "Is he safe fighting with her?" 

Spaz lauged. " No one is safe fighting with her."

"Actually that is exactly what we are going to do.  See those horses over there.  The person who steals it and gets it to the news boys lodging house first wins.  The loser, has to buy dinner for the other for a week."

Eight looked at the horses and licked her lips.  "You've gotta deal.  And the person who wins also gets to be known as the bigger westerner.   Where should we start?"  

Spot stepped forward and spoke.  You will start 20 feet from the horses.  At that street sign." He said pointing. "I'll tell you when to go."  

Everyone went over to the street sign and Eight and Jack stepped up to it.  Spot came next to it and he told all the newsies to go to the lodging house to wait.  They all left and headed down the street.  Dutchy held Spaz's hand leading her and Pyro walked next to Spaz.  

A brunette boy with glasses volunteered to be the finish line.  The first to tag his hand won.  Spot counted down from 10 and the two kids got ready to go.

Eight put her hat on her head and got her feet ready.  This was going to be easy.  She had ridden wild horses and these looked trained.

"8. . . 7. . . 6. . ." Spot counted.

Jack looked over at the girl.  She looked about ready to cry.  But he couldn't tell why.

"And GO!" Spot shouted.

The two began running and Jack jumped on a black horse from the back.  Eight hit a white horse on the back and it began to run.  She ran along the side and grabbed the saddle.  She jumped off the ground and was taken ahead ten feet before she landed on the saddle.  She grabbed the reigns and began to ride.  She suddenly realized she had no idea where she was going.  

She hoped that she would see some hint.  So she sped up and caught sight of the group of newsies. Jack was in the lead at the moment and all the newsies were cheering him on.  Eight leaned into the horse and decided to show off a bit.  She began to pull her feet up and so she was almost sitting on top of the horse.

She pulled herself up to she was standing on the horse holding the reigns.  "YEEEHAAA!!!" She screamed as she got into the lead .  

She almost won when one of the newsies jumped out and spooked her horse.  She was thrown forward and she landed in someone's arms.  

"Hey you okay?" the dark haired boy with glasses and a bowler hat asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine.  OH I won!" She jumped from his arms and out of excitement kissed him on the cheek.  "Those dinners are going to taste great." 

She looked around to see Jack climbing from his horse.  "Where did you learn to ride like that?"

"Well, you ever wonder why I say real cowboys from out west would kill you?  That's cause I grew up out west.  I am a cow girl.  Grew up around horses.  I've been doing those tricks since I was six.  So that wasn't really fair."

"Eight!" Spaz and Pyro came forward.  Spaz was followed by Dutchy and they came up to the girl.  "What happened? We saw you get thrown!" 

"That would be my fault." The skinny boy Race came forward and looked guilty.  I kicked a rock and it hit the horses feet.  Sorry.  But thanks to Specs, you were saved."

"Yeah thanks to Specs" Eight smiled at her savior and then looked at her watch.  "Medda's gonna kill us guys!  We have to go."  She kissed Specs on the cheek one more time and Spaz waved to Dutchy.  "I want dinner tomorrow night Jack!" The three ran off and towards Irving Hall. 

"Those girls are something aren't they?" Dutchy said to no one.  

"Yeah, they sure are." Specs said as he watched the purple hat go off into the distance.  Little did he know that Jack was watching the same purple hat silently.

A/N: Oh boy.  My chance to share my craziness with all of you!!!  Yay.  Ok this is my author's note.  I cut myself along the leg helping my dad today.  My body is a battlefield is what my mom says.  She thinks I get hurt too much.  Of course if she had her way I would be strapped to my mattress so I wouldn't get hurt.  Well its Katie's turn.  See we are playing a game of tag, me, Spaz, and Katie.  And I just tagged Katie.  So its up to her to post.  Thanks!!!   


	6. sad announcement

~We interrupt your regularly updated chapter to bring you a sad announcement~ Pyro is unable to post a chapter do to a the stupid worm virus going around, her paranoid brother, and the fact that there's no microsoft word on this computer!!!! And she has to go to Band retreat (Nelthropp refuses to call it band camp after watching american pie) and she won't be back until thursday. Hopefully she can get a chapter written before her sister and her sister's boyfriend come up, at which point she will be busy making sure Eric is worthy to date her sister (well, he already past most of the tests, his favorite movie is newsies ^_^, I just haven't met him yet)  
  
Thank you for your patience... dang, there's no spell check on notepad... 


	7. The real chapter six!

A/N: HA HA HA!!! Because of Spaz's impatient nature, she is overriding the tag that Eight tagged Pyro with. Spaz has been waiting ever so patiently for 2 months for Pyro to post, and it doesn't look like she is going to, so Spaz has decided to write her own chapter, then Eight will, then Pyro has to write TWO! That is the ruling of the Eight/Spaz judging team. *bangs gavel twice*  
  
The three girls walked (well, Spaz skipped) into Irving hall, and just about ran into Medda.  
  
"Oh, there you are!" Medda anxiously exclaimed. "I need your help!"  
  
"What's wrong?" they asked in unison.  
  
"You do know about the special guest vocalist tonight, correct?"  
  
"Yeah, some lady from Boston, right?" Eight asked.  
  
"I just received word that she broke her leg getting out of the stagecoach at the station!" Medda moaned. "The show is in one hour, and I have no backup singer!"  
  
"Does it matter what song is preformed?" Spaz asked slowly, thinking carefully.  
  
"Not really. do you know of anyone that can fill in for me?" Medda asked.  
  
"Yes. technically, it would be two people."  
  
"Go on." Medda prompted.  
  
"Eight and I can do it. we know a couple of songs that we sang, you know, around the campfire." Spaz said.  
  
With a sudden look of slight surprise, Medda took a deep breath, and let out a silent "Oh." Then she thought for a minute, and reluctantly said, "I suppose you can have a quick audition, but no promises. No offence to you fine young ladies, but I run an establishment that is prided on its vocal talent."  
  
"That's completely understandable." Eight said to Medda before turning to Pyro, "Hey, why don't you get your clarinet, so we can warm up."  
  
"O-tay!" Pyro said, before she took off for their apartment.  
  
"Why not use the stage, and I will get back to formulating other last minute plans. I'll come back in ten minutes." Medda said, and with a turn on her heel, and a swish of her skirt, she was off.  
  
True to her word, Medda came back in exactly ten minutes. As she sat down in the front row of the theater, Eight nodded to Pyro, and she played a note for them.  
  
They started singing, and even before the first verse was finished, Medda cut them off.  
  
"I hate to break it to you girls." she started, as Spaz and Eight hung their heads in defeat.  
  
".you will have to wear dresses to perform on stage." Medda finished.  
  
The girl's faces broke into grins, and they jumped up and down with glee.  
  
Spaz suddenly stopped jumping, and turned to Medda and asked her, "We don't have to wear pink, do we?"  
  
With a laugh, Medda told them, "You know where the costume room is. Just make sure your outfits are. not as outrageous as they were the other day. They have to be approved by me first."  
  
"YAY!" all three of them shouted, as they took off running backstage, out the stage door, and down the hall.  
  
~~~  
  
About forty five minutes later, there was a line outside Irving hall.  
  
"What's goin on?" Racetrack asked Mary, Medda's attendant, who was filling in for Eight at the ticket booth.  
  
"Tonight there is a special performance going on, it is all a surprise though, you will see as soon as the show starts." She said mysteriously.  
  
"Dis better be good!" Kid Blink informed her, "Da whole crowd's here tonight, and you have no idea what this many Newsies do when dey's upset." He said, leaning on the counter.  
  
"I have no worries." Mary told him as she handed him his ticket.  
  
~~~ "How do I look?" Eight asked Pyro, as she fidgeted in front of the mirror in a beautiful blue satin dress with sunny yellow trim.  
  
"You are still as beautiful as you were three minutes ago when you asked the last time."  
  
"I hate wearing a skirt!" Spaz complained, smoothing the vibrant green fabric of her skirt. "But the shirt's pretty!" She said, looking down the front of her off-white silk shirt, making sure that the pearl buttons were all done up.  
  
After much searching, Katie finally found a suitable dress to wear, it was red with gold brocade trim. She complained all the way to the stage, but they all fel silent as they stood in the wings, waiting for Medda's cue.  
  
Medda was supposed to do a sweeping hand motion, along with a certain welcoming phrase that she had already rehearsed with the girls.  
  
"I can't see!" Pyro complained. She was the shortest, and happened to be in the back of the other two.  
  
"You have seen her sing this song at least half a dozen times already!" Eight said, smiling, and nudging Katie with her elbow.  
  
"I still wanna see!" She defended, standing on her tiptoes to try and see over Spaz's tall shoulders.  
  
She was trying so hard to stand as tall as she could, when she suddenly lost her balance. She fell into Eight, who fell into Spaz, and they all ended up in a pile on the side of the darkened stage. Thankfully, the spotlight was on Medda, who was on the other side of the stage, so no one in the audience but the left side of the front could see that there was anyone there.  
  
Being the professional she was, Medda completely ignored the pile that they had made of themselves, and just continued to sing, so that they could get back offstage.  
  
Spot, and everyone else around him sniggered quietly. Whoever they were that happened to be up next were not exactly graceful. Spot couldn't tell what they looked like, because of the darkness, so he elbowed Racetrack, (who happened to be sitting next to him) in the ribs, and asked. "Who are dey, Race?"  
  
"I have no idea, it was supposed ta be a guest from Boston, or somewhere."  
  
The last note of Medda's song died, the spotlight dimmed in comparison to the rest of the stage lights coming on.  
  
"Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a real treat. This trio has traveled many miles to arrive here for this preformance tonight. Please welcome my special guests." Medda nodded to them with a smile, and motioned them onstage.  
  
As soon as they walked onstage, there was a gasp from the newsies in the audience. They instantly recognised the trio, even though their transformation was astounding. Medda had made them wear stage makeup, so that their features could be seen from the audience, and their hair was curled.  
  
"Wow, they look pretty good as girls." Mush said, amazed.  
  
The whole front left side of the audience erupted in cheers and whistles. All of the newsboys usually try to show up for the special performances that Medda gives a few times a year, and this was no exception.  
  
Grinning at the audience, Pyro nodded to the conductor, and put her instrument to her lips.  
  
Spaz and Eight started right on time, their voices flowing smoothly to the music:  
  
I love the part in fairy tales that's very near the end, when all the kingdom cheers for their new queen. And all is well, and all is good and, everyone belongs, and happily they're ever-after-ing.  
  
But when I enter the kingdom of dreams, and face the promise of all I can be, will they see me as a heroine, tell me will they let me in?  
  
I love hour the seasons change, and winter turns to spring, and empty branches welcome newborn leaves, the earth makes room for every flower that reaches for the sun, "I'm glad you've come" is whispered on the breeze  
  
But when I enter the spring of my dreams, just like a wildflower that bursts on the scene will I find my place with the gentle wind, tell me, will they let me in.  
  
And if a heart's breaking, a part of me's aching to show them how much that I care, but if no one lets me, or turns and forgets me, then how, how can I share.  
  
There is a part of fairy tales, that's very near the end. The princess and the prince declare their love, and hearts are healed, and soals are changed, and two blend into one, all orchestrated by the stars above.  
  
But when I standat the door of my dreams, and face a lonely heart calling for me, I could fill that emptyness within, if that heart would let me in.  
  
Won't somene let me in?  
  
As the music faded away, the thunderous applause surprised the girls standing onstage. They grinned nervously at such praise. As the audience was cheering for them, they awkwardly curtsied. The conductor struck up the band again, and they sang a funny song about a goat that are three red shirts off the clothesline, so it's owner tied it to the railroad tracks, and it coughed up the shirts, and flagged the train.  
  
The audience burst out laughing at their comical expressions, and motions to the song.  
  
They sang a few more songs, and finished their act with a beautifully harmonized song with Medda. Roaring applause filled their ears, and it surprised them so much that they just stood there, motionless, like a deer in then headlights.  
  
"Wow." Eight breathed, as the stage lights were turned down so they could see the audience, who was standing on their feet, filling the room.  
  
They took one more bow, and scurried off of the stage, leaving Medda to bid the audience adieu.  
  
"You guys were wonderful!" Pyro said out of breath from playing her clarinet.  
  
"I think they liked us." Eight said with a grin as they listened to the applause, which they could still hear.  
  
Spaz clapped her hands in excitement, and jumped up and down. "This is so exciting!"  
  
"Lets go return these. ugh. dresses to the costume room." Eight suggested.  
  
"Sounds good to me!" Pyro agreed enthusiastically.  
  
They started sauntering off down the hall, but were stopped when a few familiar faces came around the corner. Bumlets, Specs, and Dutchy, grinned at them as they came closer.  
  
"That was a wonderful show!" Exclaimed Specs.  
  
"You have a beautiful voice." Dutchy said timidly to Spaz.  
  
"You play fantastically." Bumlets told Pyro  
  
"Thank you" all three girls said shyly.  
  
"The whole group of guys is heading over to Tibby's. would you like to join us?" Specs asked, looking mostly at Eight.  
  
The three girls looked at each other, and nodded.  
  
"Sounds spiffy, we just have to go change-" Pyro started, but was cut off by Bumlets.  
  
"No, you have to wear the dresses!" Bumlets told her. "Not everyone believed that it was you!" he said with a smile.  
  
"Seriously?" Spaz asked, unbelieving.  
  
"Seriously." Dutchy confirmed.  
  
With a funny look that was a mixture of impatience and dismay, Eight asked, "We have to wear these stupid dresses longer?"  
  
Specs chuckled at her and politely asked, "Please?"  
  
Eight threw up her hands in defeat, and sighed. "I guess."  
  
"Good!" Specs said enthusiastically, as he held out his elbow  
  
Eight took his offered arm in hers, and Dutchy and Bumlets followed suit, and held their elbows out. Spaz linked her arm in Dutchy's, and Pyro with Bumlets, and they made their way out into the cool night air.  
  
~~~ Sitting in the middle of Tibby's restaurant, a group of Newsies were in a heated discussion.  
  
"Nah, there aint no way that those girls were the ones we know!" Kid Blink stated.  
  
"You got eyes?" Spot exclaimed, "Dose were da very same girls I met." He said with a smirk.  
  
"What do you think Race?" Kid Blink asked.  
  
"Sorry Blink, I gots ta agree wid Spot." said Racetrack  
  
"You'se always sidin with Brooklyn." Snoddy stated.  
  
"Only when he's right." Racetrack grinned.  
  
Everyone laughed, and Spot spitshook with Racetrack.  
  
With a confident smile, Kid Blink asked Race "Ya wanna get a little wager goin' on that?"  
  
Racetrack's gaze slipped over Kid Blink's right shoulder. As the door opened, he noticed three familiar figures in dresses slip into the restaurant, with Specs, Dutchy, and Bumlets.  
  
Without missing a beat, Racetrack declared, "You're on!"  
  
"Hmmm, I'd say that twenty cents should be enough to win offa you." Blink proclaimed.  
  
"If you're sure that you can afford that." Racetrack started.  
  
"Only if you can." Blink challenged  
  
"I don't need to afford it!" Racetrack chuckled before standing up and hollering across the room, "Hey Specs, come sit over here!" he invited with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
The rest of the group sitting at Racetrack's table burst out laughing. 


End file.
